Skellefteå Science City’s contribution to Arctic Center of Energy

Creating a shared vision for the future of energy

Arctic Center of Energy is a major and ambitious initiative founded by Skellefteå Municipality, Luleå University of Technology, LTU, Northvolt and Skellefteå Kraft. Organisationally, ACE is established as a centre within LTU. As part of the initiative, Skellefteå Municipality is constructing a new building at Campus Skellefteå that will serve as the base for operations once completed. The building is financed by the municipality.

In the early stages of the construction process, SCS acted as a bridge between the various stakeholders and the building project, coordinating the strategic work. The objective was to define and communicate the concept of the facility as a world leading centre for sustainable energy solutions and a test bed for electrification.

Sustainability and circular material solutions

The building has been designed to minimise climate impact, with high sustainability ambitions. It will function as a research and demonstration environment, with the goal of becoming an environmentally responsible and energy efficient facility. The building will be certified according to Miljöbyggnad 4.0 and NollCO2 standards.

“We have had very high sustainability ambitions and have aimed to deliver a building with as low climate impact as possible through circular solutions and reused materials from other buildings in Skellefteå, including timber, reclaimed windows, staircases and surplus materials,” says Sanna Orellano, Business Developer at Skellefteå Science City, responsible for coordinating and developing the concept for the ACE building.

Coordinating and driving innovation

A significant part of the assignment involved creating and communicating a clear concept for Arctic Center of Energy, highlighting the building’s role as a test bed and innovation hub for future electrification and sustainable energy solutions. The work also included coordinating communication between stakeholders and ensuring effective collaboration and dialogue between academia, industry and the public sector.

“The assignment also included establishing structures for recurring stakeholder dialogues, enabling us to continuously integrate new ideas and perspectives that strengthen the building’s profile. Another important aspect was supporting the development of study visit offerings, both during the construction phase and once the building is completed, in order to attract stakeholders and partners to the facility and the wider area,” Sanna Orellano continues.

A vision for the future takes shape

The collaboration between the municipality, academia, industry and SCS has led to construction beginning in late 2024. When the building is completed in 2027, it will be an internationally leading centre for sustainable energy and electrification.

“SCS has contributed strategic development, innovative thinking and the structures needed to move the project forward. Today, ACE is an active presence at Campus Skellefteå, driving the development of both the building’s content and ongoing innovation projects,” says Anna Mård, CEO of Skellefteå Science City.

Continued collaboration and innovation

Now that SCS has concluded its assignment, the project continues under the leadership of the municipality and the collaborating stakeholders. Construction is underway and the building is scheduled to open in 2027. At the same time, the development of content, partnerships and innovative solutions continues within ACE.

Arctic Center of Energy is intended to be more than a building. It will be a living and dynamic environment for innovation and collaboration. Its continued development will play an important role in strengthening Skellefteå’s and Sweden’s position in the global transition to sustainable energy solutions.